Drowning State: Public outrage over bad governance in South Sudan

It took South Sudanese more than half a century to attain their independence from the SUDAN. At the course of fighting successive Khartoum based governments, more than 2.5 million lives have been sacrificed, and the State was born (July 9, 2011) with an abundance of untapped natural resources (Oil being the leading commodity).

Although the host State (Sudan) handed down the newly independent nation as a Federal State, that system of government only existed on paper. There have been many attempts to craft a meaningful system of government in the REPUBLIC of SOUTH SUDAN, and through adoption of the South Sudan Transitional Constitution.

But the political atmosphere has been so rough to the point that no possible presidential aspirant could challenge the incumbent President given overarching powers granted by the Transitional Constitution.

And there is one group to be blamed, and that is the South Sudan Legislative Assembly, for MPs have surrendered/traded away their constitutional duties for special favors from the Executive Branch, particularly the President of the Republic.

First and foremost, South Sudanese must place their Nation above all, and care-less about personal gains and tribal affiliations.

The utterances about federalism seen across various social media and news outlets cannot be a solution to the ailing State, and without getting real with the political plague that caused the blowback.

When the Region (Southern Sudan) was granted self-governing for the second time in history, warlords took everything in their own hands, narrowed the political space and annihilated the civil population.

Instead of looking for new federalism (ethnic federalism), it would be of a great importance to South Sudanese, and for them to fix the Federal system that they have in place (devolve powers to states and empower local governments).

It is undeniable that South Sudan is a federal State, 10 states plus Abyei are federally structured. The loopholes found in the Transitional Constitution were added intentionally, and to make the president more powerful than he should be in a State where citizens fought for democratic ideals and to have a nation where people decide their own destiny.

As a concerned citizen, it is about the right time to advise the populace to stay within the yolk (governing Document).

Even with that precaution, influential members of various ethnic groups in South Sudan, and who have taken strange decisions regarding the bad governance, would not be willing to accept anything less of the reform.

When the war erupted in Juba (Dec. 15, 2013), some high ranking members of the Parliament deserted their posts and joined the armed rebellion. However, instead of mobilizing youth to change the Government militarily, those lawmakers should have voiced their concerns and push hard for reforms from within.

Where in the world can lawmakers take-ups arms against democratically elected regime, and to reinvent something that they would have done without having to pull a trigger at some knuckleheads in the Legislative Assembly?

Because nobody wanted to take blame for having not acted on his/her supposed obligations, some are battling the regime militarily. This new twist is nothing but an opportunity for others to punish their colleagues in the Government.

Despite those noises and fierce fights, South Sudanese are anti-system, ant-rules, and only very few would follow on what they say. And by the way, why do people become too loud when they have been sacked from their positions?

There is no doubt, South Sudan needs a new direction, and all the concerned parties (members of the Civil Societies, Lawmakers, Churches and Elders) in the Republic of South Sudan should come out of their hiding shells and help the Nation rewire itself.

The reforms that people are talking about require full commitment and selflessness to get the State moving again. And this would involve rebooting the stalled mechanisms (independent of the Judiciary, Legislature becoming real and noninterference by the Executive), and not through adoption of anything new.

As per the ongoing Peace Accord, IGAD has proposed the Transitional Government of National Unity (TGONU), and it appeared to be the only opportunity for concerned parties to have their voices heard. But Rebel’s Chief (Dr. Riek Machar) is running around and declining to sign the Document.

For a very simple reason, South Sudan descended into crisis because there has never been a political will from the ruling Elites (Kiir and Riek plus their cronies), and their failures to follow on their own political designs and procedures have added even more fuels on the raging fire/turmoil.

Back to the governed, the general public has been led to believe that South Sudan was never a Federal State, and finding a new federal system would heal the wounds of bad governance seen since the year 2006.

That is not true for a national structures existed in principles: states have their own constitutions, there are Counties’ governments, Payams’ governments as well as Bomas’ administrations, and that tells the world within our reach that South Sudan is not missing anything in terms of the system of government.

In regard to diversity, nationalities have been legally recognized through non-interference, and all have their unique customary laws in place.

That brings us to the question: can more polarization of the State help in solving national political discourses? Well, one has to look at other nations that have distanced themselves from a system that would jeopardize national unity.

And all citizens should thank the Drafters of the Transitional Constitution because they have been attentive to a number of issues with the exception of too much powers vested in presidency.

Again, how possible is it that states can be created based on ethnic lines, and people still expect law enforcement officers to be neutral/impartial in their duties?

Although ethnic federalism seems to be working really good in Ethiopia, people must know that Ethiopia is very different from South Sudan.

Secondly, South Sudan is a very diverse State with 64 tribes, and thinking about how best to make it peaceful and prosperous ought to be everyone concern. Because all tribes are culturally unique and politically volatile, we risk making it worse if tribal states are created.

The fact that warlords who just got out of bush-life like did little to harmonize the State does not warrant going for designs that are likely to create difficult problems.

For those who have been following political developments in South Sudan, the underground networks, all of which are based on tribal affiliations are not good for coexistence.

It is worth noting that any form of government without a political will cannot function accordingly, and embarking on untested form of federalism (Ethnic Federal system) is never a viable choice. There has to be a conducive political environment for that kind of federal system to work effectively.

The fact that South Sudan is a very complex State with too many complex problems, it would be good for South Sudanese to maintain what they have since it has the potential to keep South Sudan united if implemented fully.

On different fronts, people (elders and political commentators) have already taken sides, and seemed to prefer tribal-based states administrations, but they are not talking about why federal system based on 10 states failed?

Without answering questions about the past, there is no way that citizens can guarantee to have a better system than what they have had for the last nine years or so.

What is being debated is more of a new call for further secession/more division of the current Republic of South Sudan!

For those who may disagree with that suspicion, how possible is it that people wanted to live in united South Sudan, and those same people prefer being affiliated within their own tribes?

In the last couple of months, South Sudanese have been jamming internet with their opinions about a new federalism, and opposition to ethnic federalism is now synonymous with DINKA.

It is true that majority of people who are opposed to new federalism are Dinkas, but that does not means they are doing it because of the sitting president, a national figure who happened to be a Dinka by tribe.

Moving forward, what energizes most people to put out their positions on the issue at hand is the fact that polarizing South Sudan along tribal lines can complicate things.

It is also very true that some tribes are too dissatisfied with Dinka’s led Government, and that does not warrant politicizing national issues to the point where tribes consider themselves more than enemies.

Whenever there is a problem along the tribal lines, the kind of archaic/barbaric killings that takes place is beyond anyone’s imagination, and having ethnic federalism would create even more hatreds.

The fact that dominant tribes take things in their hands does not justify people to call for further fragmentation of the State. Even if ethnic federal was to be given a chance, South Sudan national government would still be dominated by the largest tribes. And there would be no way for smallest tribes to escape fierce political encounters with the populous tribes.

Anything more than the existing federal structures is likely to tear the nation apart, and anything impractical of the existing federal system is also likely to propagate more hatreds against largest tribes (Dinka & Nuer).

Thirdly, South Sudan as a State must first extinguish the burning fire before embarking on structuring the Nation. Rushing changes because of the crisis would create new problems.

As of now, there is a big confusion as to what would happen should citizens decide to follow loud voices (Equatorians, Dinka elders & Rebels’) call for revitalization and upgrading of former British-designed districts into states.

People must know one thing, the biggest threats to unity of South Sudan are not the tribes, but politicians who resort to using their tribes whenever they fallout with their colleagues in the Government. What if those politicians come from ethnic based states?

At the present time, oppositions to the ruling Party (SPLM-in-Government) have exploited the unfortunate event of December 15, 2013, and are out pushing citizens too hard to follow their paths.

With all of that, unplanned/unstudied shifts toward new political direction is not the best strategy for political problems to be resolved once and for all.

There is reason to believe that lack of accountability throughout the State has made people (politicians) to care-less about their own responsibilities as public figures, and that is why they keeps deceiving their subjects (citizens) day in and day out.

As a matter of fact, we can all agree on one thing: interference by the president of the Republic in states’ affairs has also contributed to weakening of the Federal System that was inherited from the Sudan.

He (president Salva Kiir) relieved/sacked three Governors (Lakes, Jonglei & Unity states) without the consent of citizens who put/voted them into their offices.

In his most recent presidential decree, president Salva Kiir finalized a controversial Peace Accord with notorious Rebel leader, David Yau Yau & created Greater Pibor Area Administration (GPAA) without consent of the neighboring Counties (Akoba, Bor, Duk, Nyirol, Twic East & Uror counties) or the state of Jonglei.

It has to be recalled that his Excellency, the President of the Republic has been overreaching for years, and some of his decrees have had negative impacts on civil populations (Lakes state).

Furthermore, we must tighten our belts really good because South Sudan is not going anywhere, and finding lasting solutions to governing issues would be the only way for us to have a stable nation.

We all know/should know that the ongoing war in the country has lots to do with bad governance (politicians wasted time and did nothing), and people who have been serving in the GOSS dating back to its inception in 2005 are equally responsible for the mess.

When Equatorians voiced their concerns, Rebel leader, Dr. Riek Machar came out with his own proposal that created 21 states based on former British districts in the then Southern Sudan, all of which were ethnic quotas.

In response to that wobbling, another group that called itself Dinka elders proposed 23 states. By the way, who are those elders? What do they represent? And who is behind them? Why now?

Along the same line, Dr. Lam Akol of the SPLM-DC mobilized other political parties, secured his place in the IGAD led peace negotiation and proposed a post of prime minister to be created as a way for resolving the conflict, and then left the Government’s negotiating team.

Because South Sudan’s warring parties share the same political fear when it comes to Dr. Lam Akol, his proposal was rejected altogether and the Government disowned him thereafter.

While addressing all the problems in a combo is not going to be a possibility when the State is at war, citizens must pay close attention to all the missed opportunities.

As a matter of fact, no schooled person would expect South Sudan to be like Australia, Canada or the United States of America in just nine years! But, can we really rewind back and expect to see South Sudan in the image of Australia between 1908 and 1914?

Come on, my people (South Sudanese), the world is now more intertwined than ever before. Even in our most remote areas (Panyagoor and Turalei), people are surfing online, and that tells us that we cannot go behind the line and begin where other nations were some 100 years ago.

That means, aiming high and resolving outstanding issues within a reasonable time would save the State from disintegrating into worthless pieces. If we can all settle on this: no more firing/sacking of states’ Governors by the president, and without consent by voters who voted them in.

And across the Nation, all public offices must be filled through elections, and that should include: Governors, members of South Sudan Legislative Assembly, states Legislative Assemblies, Counties Commissioners, Counties’ Administrators, Town Mayors, Paramount Chiefs, Chiefs and sub-chiefs.

If South Sudan had been doing that from day one, there would have been less mistrust between the governed and their leaders because free and fair elections are the best tools by which citizens can lockout people who’re politically unattractive.

In summary, demanding the same system after it has failed cannot be the solution to future problems. Let’s get it very clear that there has been a Federal System in the Republic of South Sudan before it gained independence from rests of the Sudan. What had been lacking was a political will to follow on what appeared to be a destiny to having a stable State.

Instead of mobilizing tribes to force the Government to adopt ethnic federalism, South Sudanese ought to give themselves time, try to fix all that they had done wrong during the Interim period.

In recap, the jury is out trying to reconnect the dots, but patience would be the best medicine in getting through the aftermath of December 15, 2013. All must know that maintaining a peaceful nation requires more than just hanging out with famous and wealthy people in the Country.

The Author here is Mayak Deng Aruei, a South Sudanese living in the United States of America. He holds Associate degree in Legal Assistant (San Diego Miramar College), BA in Sociology & Philosophy(University of San Diego), completed one year of Juris Doctorate studies at Trinity Law School(Trinity International University), holds MA in Legal Studies(American Public University), pursuing two degrees at the moment: Bachelor’s of Laws(LLB) at the University of London and Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership: Organizational Development at Grand Canyon University. He can be reached at Kongor.da.ajak@gmail.com

25 Comments

Mayak
It is nice to see an article from a South Sudanese intellectual living in the 1st world the USA, a well accomplished and fascinating achiever, what a blessing to see such a professional profile, it gives us hope that our future is in good hands.

Carefully reading your article, I was at first convince that a lawyer weighing in as a professional individual that I was going to see a silvery lining in a dark skyline. But somewhere in middle I got confused, may be its me or could it be an alegoric artcle such that I needed an interpretation? But no, indeed I realized this was another raw scheme of a lawyer and a dinka expert trying to justify and consolidate the validation of majority tribes have the rights to rule and occupy anybody else’s land or be in any office just because they are from the so-called majority tribe.
By the way it sounds like you have tried hard to be neutral and the clean-hand guy as though you are on an island or an observer in this turmoil.
Brother Mayak, for what ever reason I tend to suggest that your article fell short of mentioning the core issues rather you biasly exclude yourself and your affiliations out of the scenes. You see brother, no matter what evil and cruel ideologies you dinkas continue to push into people’s throats, it is too late now.

The fact is most people have maintained low profile in particular (the Equatorians whom you seems to aim at) during the years of struggles to wait for this moment, I mean the era of post independence or this present moment. As you alluded, this is a 21st century the age of information technology, even those whom you are trying to fool are not too dumb to believe in your bias article. Because guess what? People are now talking to oneanother not just jumping to conclusions.

The idea behind federal system comes after close observations as to what the so-called majority tribes evil plans behind the scenes schemes to down rotten and lord over those others who are considered as minority and rather the cowards and weak as we keep hearing from your own next of kin. I
In the first place the real factories of brains are not found in those so-called majority tribes but rather found in those minority groups. As we can see today the people who are really behind the holding together Southerners are particularly found in Equatoria, like it or not had this government’s head quarters been in those most volatile areas where the chaos are raging we could have had nothing call president in an office or in South Sudan but only tribal warlords, and president Kirr is the head of the chief Warlords as of todate.

The way forward is going to be more of diplomacy and passive resistance inclusive and lasting success story rather than beating the drums of war, and we all know “An empty barrel makes loudest noise”.

You mention about Payams, Bomas etc, these names were given during the civil war without consultations of the masses, the last time I checked Wikipedia Boma actually means a “livestock enclosures”, so are we livestocks now? Sure go ahead if you want to remain inside a livestock enclosures that’s your choice, as for me I want out of Bombs or Payams.
I want FEDERALISM end of story.
My name in Eli Wani and I stand with peace lovers, fighting for freedom, justice, equality and in pursuit of true liberty and happiness for ALL
May God bless SOUTH SUDAN
ELI WANI
SSNLF

Do not be fooled by this double blind writer man. There were no lawmakers who took up arm against the government. It was the president who took up arm against the lawmakers. For example, Matt Mathiang Deng, was a MP who represented Koch County in Unity State was killed on December 16, 2013 in Juba. Ruai Kuol Jal was a MP who represented Rubkotna County in Unity State was attacked in his house in Juba but was narrowly scape death. 9 people were killed in his home including pregnant woman and a blind mother. Those lawmakers this blind writer was talking about ran away for their own safety. Some of those MPs are in UN compound in Juba as I speak now. Please do not buy the false words of this double blind writer.

Mariak Deng
Yu Dinkas hate federalsim like yu hate Nuers. Bibles are saying that federalsim is the answer to the massacre yu Dinka bibles carried agains Nuers in Juba on Dec 15th – 19th. Yu bibles wanted to get rid of Dr Riek bse he sounds an alarm bell on the dinka motive of dinkanising South Sudan. Yu wanted Dinkas to live everyhwere in South Sudan as iv the country was created for yu idiots alone.Yu left your rands for Equatoria while claiming to be warroirs, wapi! Bse of too much power in yr hands, yu effected the Nuer massacre. So, citizens are saying fedreslim is the answer so that equitable understanding of bibiles diversities is realised. Here yu are saying first extinguishe the fire yu Dinka started. How is that possible after genociding Nuers [the widely known and the most bravest bibles in the Republic] so that later yu susu on the rest of the other triabes, Big No, all of yu got it wrong animals! War must continue until every Dinka feels the pain of greediness. Yu dinka are really greedy bibles, yu want to take the whole country to be yours. Wherever you go, you masquerade telling every nation that South Sudan is yours alone, is that nationalism? What about asas? Think twice, otherwise, thanks for your articulate writings.

Dear Deng,
One day peace will come to our country. We have to work together so that peace can come quickly. Everyone in RSS has a role to play in restoring peace. It is regretful that so many lives were lost in a power struggle, but we are still brothers and sisters sharing same destiny. War will leave behind more and more of our unprivileged families whose children should have been attaining some form Education to improve their lives, instead of being exploited as war tools by the privileged elites of RSS.
The level of anger is obvious in your comment, but you are not the only person who might have lost their love one, most people from the waring tribe did. One thing is certain, the dead will not gain anything from the continuation of this war, it is the living one that is going to lose un-necessarily.

Mayak, Bor county should had been included in the GPAA because the people in Bor county came from there and shate alot of values with those communities in GPAA.I think no county will accept Bor county when Jonglei break up.It was a mistake to leave them behind when their cousins were curved into GPAA.

Dear Monychol,
It is turning out that you appear to know enough of South Sudan as a nation yet you know nothing of your own communities. In fact, bor county is a neighbour to GPAA just like twi, duk, Anyuak, and nuer counties. But to attribute the origin of bor county to GPAA is absurd. It is simply reflecting your naivety.

People in bor county do not all have one common origin just like the so called twi east. By the way, it would sound better calling it twi county rather than twic east. To call it twic and adding east to it only manifest how desperately you are trying to find some sense of belonging like an orphan.

People in twi county have different origins from Agaar like the adhiok; Gogrial like the awulient; ngok like the daa – acuek and many more. The people in bor county have the same origins as wel like the angak-kuei from ruweng or reng; like palek from ngok; like Guala said to be from aliap.

Of course, there are few neutralised Mundari, Lokoro, Nuer, Moro, Murle and many more who are now dinka in most dinka communities. But to describe the whole county that way is stupid.

Geographically the groups can be put together, but not on the related origin as they are not related.

Don’t you know the so called twi was just a name of a person from adhiok. To lie everyday that you as a community came from a certain origin with that name inherent is idiotic of you. Who do yo want to lie to.

Shamga or shameful.
I talked to individuals from all your neighboring counties and there was non ready to associate with you in case the remaining parts of Jonglei is splitted more into GPAA areas.
Those from Duk, Twic East and Ayod said they can form a three county state and when I suggested the inclusion. of Bor county all objected leaving the man from Bor county without a friend and someone who like him on the east side of the river Nile.
I came to conclude that Bor county has no future on the east bank f the river.
All Nuer nations believes that it is Bor county that plunged the country into crises especially Kuol Manyang and Makuei Lueth.
The massacre of Nuer women and children at the UN camp in Bor town

Shamga, you claimed that those Buor are from Ngok and how comes that even their plural is the same with that of Murle? Their language too is not the same with all Dinkas.All Dinkas would say ting ie to see and Buor wuold say ngem or ngen.All Dinkas would say wen and Buor would say anhia.Look at their names they are not similar to all Dinkas, ie Guarak, Guguai, Buorong etc.
All Dinkas wuold have Kuer, Dau, Duot and Atem.
Buor are Murle even their behaviors and attitudes.

Monychol
If you like Nuer that much; then how come you moved all your families all the way to Nimule and Kakuma Refugee camps in Kenya instead of running to Bentiu and Nasir. Why didn’t you take all your families to Nasir and Bentiu? The reason is; you know the Nuer will slaughter you over there like chickens!
You call yourself Twie east! What east? A desperation for popularity! To be popular like the people of BOR; it’s something that comes natural; the people of Bor never advertised themselves to popular but their popularity comes naturally. You people are just a disgrace to the entire Dinka community.

You want to be with Nuer; then pack up and go to where the Nuer are hiding; they aren’t even in Nasir or Bentiu anymore. Denounce yourselves as a Dinka and join Nuer to be Nuer; you’re a tiny community that is less than a million anyway; the entire Dinka wouldn’t notice you when you leave and good luck.

Dear Monychol,
Wow! Yin ẻ raan ci jal bẻẻl arẻẻt, or you are such an idiot in English. I think you are Nyandeng Chol, the only most stupid one in addition to some few idiots from your decent community who are in foreign countries. I can not insult the whole of your community because I an not simple minded like you, or en cie ran lir ic ci mẻn dunẻ.

You said you talked to some counties like ayod, duk, and your twi not twic east fool, to form a state with them and they accepted it. That the rest of the communities don’t want bor county except murle. Well, I don’t see any problem with that. If that is the reason why you become rebels then don’t beat about the bush son. It is too simple to fight for something like that – like forming a state, which can simply be negotiated. This indeed shows how simple in minds you guys are. Dinka words such as lỏr, cỏl, and even the way you pronounce nuer shows you have a genetic defects. Instead of saying lỏr you say nỏ, cỏn and nuer as luer. Now, which dinka community has such an idiotic way to pronounce words.

You went as far as saying that All Dinkas would say ting ie to see and Buor wuold say ngem or ngen.All Dinkas would say wen and Buor would say anhia. That their names are not similar to all Dinkas, ie Guarak, Guguai, Buorong etc. That all Dinkas wuold have Kuer, Dau, Duot and Atem. That is stupid. It appeared you really are Nyandeng Chol, you don’t nothing at all. Go to Gong Arol in Bar el gazal if you won’t find ngen, anhia. There many more words in bour county like ngadi which is the same as in nuer, which in you idiotic language is ketoi, and ngek in many other dinka.

You are really an idiot. We have kuer, atem, dot instead of duot, and dot and akuei are in tonj.The other ones like Guarak, Guguai, Buorong are circumstantial names, they come about depending on the community’s conditions in the past,and as a result of language variation that develop overtime due groups staying apart for along time. Other names such as longar and gakeer are in malual jernyang and aliap.In bor south, there two or more words from every dinka dialect and it is the reason why the first bible, not bibon as in your idiotic language, was written in it to balance between all other dinka communities. It shows bor south are migrants from everywhere. and so is twi, not twic east idiot.

Monychol;
Which Dinka in South Sudan that you can associate yourselves with that pronounce words like “One” as “wal”! Another example are the people named above; you can spell their names right Kuol and Lueth but you pronounce their names as Kuon and Nueth! Name one Dinka clan in South Sudan that has ridiculous tongue as you are. In history you’ve been known as the dumbest Dinka in Bor! If you were born during the liberation; then check out the history from your parents.

Monychol,
You are representing Twic East and Duk Counties in a wrong way. And that’s because you don’t know what the real politic is. How are people in Bor County related to those in Pibor area? Well. Yours is pure politicking and that is dirty! However, those you are representing will disagree with you because there is nothing spectacular in your proposal. I am sure people of Duk County would object for they are not looking for better relationship somewhere else than where they are. They have lost a lots of people from the ones you are claiming to be forming an area administration with. Here, I got good news for you, Bor county would be independent and you go right ahead in forming up with Ayod and Duk Counties. You keep your job with rebels and I am staying South Sudan government. Thanks.

Shamga, I. was stating realities to you in Bor county and your like minded sell out there who have sold the blood of your people and the destruction of your entire county for two positions of Kuol and Makuei.Instead of responding to those facts you resorted into insulting me and your neighbors.It is now becoming clear how you set up the country for crises and to destroy the country’s leadership in the hand of a Bhar el Ghazel unsuspecting son in the name of Salva Kiir.You hijacked the government and wanted to use it to settle your old grudges and scores then it backfired and resulted in the destruction of your county and its payams.
Salva Kiir is becoming aware day by day of your dark conspiracy against the big tribes of Dinka and Nuer.You are cunning foxes who wants the Dinka and Nuer to butcher themselves over nothing and you wanted to pit the Dinka against every tribe in South Sudan to a point you wanted to subdivide the Dinka and called some sections rebels who deserves to be destroyed by the SPLA.Bhar el Ghazel sons have refused your dark hearted conspiracy and now you are turning against the governor apointee in Jonglei John Koang Nyuon.Actually you are rebelling against the state and president Kiir and at the juncture in Bortown you will be shot by the very SPLA that you wanted to use againsst others.

Monychol
You’re back to where you were known to be the dumbest Dinka in Jonglei; because even the man who is known to be your idol wasn’t smart enough to survive the conspiracy; but crashed and burned under the mountain!

Dear Mr. Aruei,
People of RSS should find an exit for President Kiir. The core business of any government is provision of Security, Basic needs and Justice. None of these is delivered to the acceptable standard since he took reins, dispite huge international help. His cabinet wasn’t up to the job of identifying and meeting the needs of people…He decides to keep them. His Armed Forces were not doing what they get paid for, and he never Court martial nor fire them. Kiir problems are in decision making process, implementation, follow up and review. These problems will never go away, unless the leadership style is changed. Look at his last decision to establish GPAA in Jonglei, and consider how different it is from reaching out to other militias such as Peter Gediet and tell me what become of these reaching outs ? The system has failed to function, it must be change. Current rebellion, call for Federalism, economic collapse and looming total anarchy are all the by-product of leadership failure.

I totally agree with you. This is a powerful advice to the writer. Kiir is the cause of everything from civil war we are currently going through to insecurity in Lake State. If we citizens are not allow to choose the leaders we want as we were hoping for during struggle, we will never be out of conflict in this country.

You are right on the mark. I have had tunnel vision that it is only Nuers seeing everything you have stated, but it has now become clear that some other like you do really understand what is taking place. Majority of Dinka fell in the deep pit of tribalism; supporting their tribe man merely because he is from them. This has been what Nuers have been saying which resulted in their heavy massacred. Kiir does not want anyone to point out his failure. He now drop our nation to the bottom. I do not see any other option other than having Kiir step down so that peace can quickly return to our young nation. If the concern citizens do not step up and denounce Kiir, we are indeed going to witness the real state of anarchy.

Dear Bentiu Ramaran & GatCharwearbol,
Kiir failure is notable to many people and finding way for his exit is in the minds of many, where people differ is how? I don’t buy nor sale Armed Rebellion to oust him even if he failed to protect the lives of about thousands citizens, which was used as a reason for much more killing and destruction. If Reik reacted differently, Kiir might have been out of the office by now, but the mission of revenge or overrunning the government by force has foiled and derail need for change. Insisting on addressing “the root cause of what happened” is unnecessary because Dinka have lost their love one too, and we may lose the country as there will be no one strong enough to control the rest just as it happened in Liberia, DRC, CAR and Somalia. Therefore we need to find an end to this rebellion, and an exit to President Kiir.

You are wrong if you blame Dr. Machar for the rebellion. The rebellion took place spontanousely. While Dr. Machar was on the run for his life, General Peter Gatdet Yaka had reacted to the Nuers’ massacred and all Nuers general defected. Do not blame Dr. Machar, he only installed himself to head the rebels. Nuer reacted spontaneously not through the order of Dr. Machar. This is were you are wrong. Kiir needs to step down if he carries for this nation. But obviously, he doesn’t care. So we are in it for very long time. The Nuer will brave it out until a viable solution is found. Their bravery is visible in those inhuman UN camps and in the field.

Nobody tried to oust Kiir by force. We all want to do it peacefully, through ballots. This is the proper way even though Dictators aren’t easy to be unseated through ballots.

The rebellion came as a result of Nuers civilians’ massacred. We rebelled spontaneously. Dr. Machar didn’t order Nuers to rebel. While he was on the run for his life, General Peter Gatdet Yaka had reacted to Nuers massacred and the rest followed. If you need someone to blame, it is not Dr. Machar.

In July of 2013, Dr. Machar was removed from his vice Presidency, Nuers didn’t say anything. If it was because of power that everyone seems to think it is, Nuers would have rebelled in July when Dr. Machar was let go. The whole issue came when Dr. Machar shown his interest to challenge Salva Kiir in 2015 elections. Salva Kiir wasn’t happy with that, he wants nobody to challenge him. Hence, he was set to eliminate Dr. Machar under the pretext of Coup, which he poorly planned and in turn led to this chaos. After he failed to eliminate Dr. Machar, he ordered his privately trained army to massacred innocent Nuer civilians. Unless if you want to believe the lies, Nuer’s massacred is the root cause of our predicament.

Conventionally, Kiir would not rule us again after he slaughtered innocent people, but because of the oil we sit on, the invisible hands want Kiir to remain in power so he can be their gateway to our oil and resources. This is what it all boils down to. Your blame for Dr. Machar is baseless.

Blaming rebels for the war will not help South Sudanese achieve peace because the war imposed on them by the president and hiding the root cause of conflict will not bring peace either because the same tactic used by the president which cause chaos will be repeated.. What kind of different reaction would you expect from Riek when he survived the assassination attempted against him by the president?

Now you are calling the rebels to end rebellion and then find way for Kiir exit. This call will not work because no one in the government accused Kiir when he recruited his tribe men and then order the massacre of Nuer civilian in the capital Juba. If you have a container of water that has a leak in it that cause the room floor wet, would you want to dry the floor first, or would you want to seal the container and then dry the room floor? I think the answer is to seal the container and then dry the room floor.

In order for the rebellion to come to an end, the dictatorship vision of the president must be removed first from the South Sudan constitutions. Then president Kiir must step aside. If South Sudanese do it that way, then the rebellion will come to an end within a week.

Thank u so much.Your comments to Monychol are an excellent contribution.We are already buried alive by ignorance.Out of ignorance,everyone chooses irresponsibly to claim having a family pure line,a clan pure line,a community pure line and a region pure line.But in fact there are neither pure nuer,nor pure jaang or dor.All of them have had inter-mixture of blood by cross inter-tribal marriages in way or another.To transform a dor into jaang for example,he marries a jaang,parents childern n raises them in jaangland.When these childern grow,they would automatically absorb jaang customs.After their dor parent dies by old age,they will remain jaang in jaang land with either lesser or no notion at all of having a dor blood:leave alone thinking of moving to dorland.Thesame example applies to a nuer marrying to a dor,parenting childern n raising them in dorland.And so does thesame result produces it’s self with jaang either marrying to a nuer or to a dor n raising the childern there.

So the notion of your community composition as out of immigration n integration is universally valid.American,Brasilian n Australian societies confirm your arquement.

We are not progressing in our country becouse we are more than ready to fish for troubles where there are no troubles at all.This is the mentality that has taken us at a national level to viewing ourselves first as either from Equatoria,Bahr el Ghazal or Upper Nile.But so quickly we flash thesame ill thinking to include states,counties,people,clans n down to the family levels.The ill will to shed blood comes before the goodwill to trace one’s self,one’s family,one’s clan and one’s community as to the origin.If one did,it would be more than easy to determine that we all have one origin with inter weaven roots constituting the massive giant society of the 64 tribes.So between us there are no causes of problems with regards to our origins.But the problem is how to have a good system of government that can guarantee for us justice,development n the good general measures of equal rights for all.This is more the cause of a debate than anything else.

I think this issue of internet discussion does not help atall on how the Country can be govern or how to over come the current crisis due to the reason beyond individual understanding because what has been discussed here is not implemented or even discuss those important issues in forums like parliaments both national and State level other wise only a point of we are strong as nuer or Dinka to do away with other, I think many of those involved in this discussation in one way or other did not seen or even had enough information on the lose of lives from both side is devestating other wise you might be wasting time fueling wars in the internet and you are not party to it.